A Study in Autism
by nsane1
Summary: In which Tony Stark's daughter is not a genius.


A Study in Autism

Rating: K+ (for one bad word)  
Summary: In which Tony Stark's daughter is not a genius.  
Author's Note: I am a special education teacher (I have six wonderful autistic students). For those who want definitions, see the end of the story!

* * *

Tony can't quite believe it when Pepper tells him he's going to be a father, and it doesn't really hit home until it's all over the tabloids. Will he be a good father, isn't he still a playboy, was it an affair with someone else, how will it affect the Avengers, that sort of thing. Since they seem to want something to talk about and Natasha seems on the verge of killing some reporters on Pepper's behalf, he marries Pepper in a lavish ceremony and makes her an honest woman. The tabloids are all about the wedding for weeks, and the murderous rage in Natasha's eyes fades temporarily.

Their honeymoon only gets interrupted by a world crisis once.

Hannah Marie Stark is born late on a Saturday morning (Tony had lobbied for Krats Hannah Stark, but was voted down by everyone). She has ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes, the barest hint of red curls, Pepper's eyes, and a voice louder than the Hulk's roar.

For once in his life, he doesn't mind being handed something.

Everyone expects the daughter of Tony Stark to be a genius. He does as well, but he's all too aware of what overly great expectations can do to a child and allows Hannah to develop at her own pace. At least, he tries, and most times thinks he succeeds. He gives her everything she could ever want; everyone gives her everything she wants. Even Natasha and Clint spoil her mercilessly. She would be a brat, if she weren't such an...different child.

Bruce is the one who first says autism, but Tony's been thinking it. He was widely believed to have Aspergers, until they realized he could be charming when he wanted to be. He'd researched the symptoms, but doesn't want to see them in his daughter.

But all the signs are there. She's two and a half and hasn't said a single word. She rocks back and forth and stares at the wall for long periods of time without seeming at all bored. Whenever she has something flat and long the size of a fork or pencil, she alternates between tapping it on the ground and twirling it in her fingers, and sometimes she just plays with her fingers themselves. She squirms when she's held, unless she's very tired or has a fever, and even a drop of rain on her hand sends her into fits of rage. Steve is the one who discovered she'd tolerate bubble baths, or she'd have been a very dirty child. Other things set her off just as badly, although they don't always know the cause. She screams and cries and bites and hits and scratches and can be inconsolable for hours.

They take her to a specialist, but it's only a formality.

Hannah Marie Stark has autism.

Autism will not beat Tony Stark.

Tony continues to spare no expense for his daughter. She has speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, music therapy, play therapy, art therapy, animal therapy, equine therapy. He learns the ABCs of special education: IEP, BIP, FBA, EI, ABA/VB, PECS, AAC, IDEA, NCLB, PMC, ADL, ABC. He puts her in the best private school in the city as soon as she's old enough, and every single Avenger contributes in some way to her care and education. Clint teaches her to shoot a bow, the steady _thwack thwack thwack_ of which she seems to find soothing. Thor finds her endlessly fascinating after she moves his hammer one day, almost absent-mindedly. Steve adores her and spends hours playing with her, even when she doesn't always respond. Natasha works with Hannah on emotions; an odd choice, until they realize Natasha's getting almost as much out of it as Hannah is. The Hulk hates the tiny screaming thing. Bruce has always enjoyed working with children, and likes having one readily on hand. Fury pretends he's annoyed that Hannah always takes precedence in Tony's life, but probably enjoys the reprieve. Pepper just loves her hard and never lets any of Hannah's behavior get her down.

Hannah eventually learns to use a StarkPad and a program her father and Bruce wrote to communicate fairly well. She can say a few words, her favorite being no, loudly any time she doesn't want to do something. She also enjoys shouting "fuck me!", mostly at important visitors, for which Tony is wholly to blame. Since she'd been so quiet for so long, they don't mind. Usually. She hugs, sometimes, and they're better than any normal hugs Tony's ever received. She laughs and smiles and cries and rocks and twirls and even sometimes sings and speaks.

And one day, they're playing with LEGOs, and she copies his complicated building easily and exactly. His heart stops. He builds something more complicated. She copies it. He adds variations. She copies it, and continues the variations. He brings her to the Lab and they build machines and computers together and his heart fills with even more hope and love.

Hannah Marie Stark is not a genius.

It doesn't matter.

* * *

And the promised definitions:

IEP (Individualized Education Program)

BIP (Behavior Intervention Plan)

FBA (Functional Behavior Assessment)

EI (Early Intervention)

ABA/VB (Applied Behavior Analysis/Visual Behavior)

PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System)

AAC (Augmentative/Alternative Communication)

IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)

NCLB (No Child Left Behind)

PMC (Preferred Mode of Communication)

ADL (Activities of Daily Living)

ABC (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence)

Whew! Some of those I hate more than others ;)


End file.
